Keanu Charles Reeves became famous thanks to the role of Neo in the movie "The Matrix". At first glance, she seems to be a typical Hollywood star. Nothing could be more wrong. And Keanu's life is a story of professional successes and serious tragedies in his personal life. Let's get to know his short biography and life philosophy. The Keanu Reeves quotes presented at the end of the article say a lot about him as a kind-hearted person.
Keanu Reeves short biography
Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon on September 2, 1964, and attended four high schools before dropping out when he was 17. His mother was English and his father was half Hawaiian and Chinese. He had a sister Kim who was two years younger than him. His father was an alcoholic who left the family when Keanu was only three years old.
His father later ended up in jail for selling drugs, and Keanu first met him when he was 6 and saw him again when he was 13.
The unusual name "Keanu" in Hawaiian means mountain cool wind. He got it from his great-great-grandfather.
Keanu's mother worked as a stripper in nightclubs to make ends meet and often brought strangers home. The family moved to Australia and later to the United States. In New York City, Keanu's mother married a Broadway director. Their marriage, however, only lasted a year.
Keanu Reeves - Personal Tragedies
Keanu Reeves didn't just have a traumatic childhood. In his adult life, he also had to face huge tragedies. His only sister Kim was diagnosed with leukemia, and although she won the first battle, years later the disease returned, and Keanu faced the challenge again.
In 1991, on the set of My Own Idaho, Keanu met his best friend, River Phoenix (younger brother of famous actor Joaquin Phoenix). River was a rising Hollywood star, referred to as the James Dean of the new era. Unfortunately, he was also addicted to drugs and died in 1993 from an overdose of heroin and cocaine. Keanu had long blamed himself for his friend's death because he believed he could have done more to help him.
As if that were not enough, in 1999 Keanu's longtime partner, Jennifer Syme, who was Reeves' actress and personal assistant, gave birth to a dead girl just before Christmas. After the death of her daughter Syme, she became depressed. A year and a half later, she died in a car accident. In one of the interviews, Keanu admitted that if he had not been absorbed in the work on the set of the movie The Matrix, he would not have survived these losses, because he had become a hermit in real life.
A year later, Keanu's sister's cancer came back. He then gave up everything to be able to be with her. He took her to a hotel in Hawaii and accompanied her until the last moments.
Keanu Reeves - Commercial Success vs. Life Philosophy
His resilience is admirable. Despite all the tragedy and pain, Keanu Reeves can live a good life. Unlike many celebrities, the actor lives in a modest apartment and travels by public transport. He emphasizes that lessons can be learned from difficult experiences.
He does not pretend to be a guru or a saint, but rather someone who can recognize and truly appreciate what is important in life. Thus, it becomes an inspiration for others.
“Money doesn't mean anything to me. I've made a lot of money, but I want to enjoy my life and not have the stress of building a bank account. I give away a lot and live a simple life, mostly with a suitcase in a hotel room. "
He celebrated one of his birthdays on a park bench, carrying cupcakes and coffee with him, which he offered to everyone who came over to say hi.
A viral photograph was taken in 2010. It showed Reeves sitting alone on a New York bench eating a sandwich. The photo, in which Reeves saw the humor, sparked an internet meme dubbed "Sad Keanu meme".
His will to live life in a real way is also reflected in the fact that he performs all the stunt movie scenes completely by himself - even the most difficult and dangerous ones. He jumped from a speeding car to a speeding bus all by himself while shooting for Speed (1994) with Sandra Bullock. He was even recognized for this with the Taurus Stunt Award for the best stuntmen in the world.
And maybe the best closure of the story about Keanu will be his words:
"Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing and your approach to life when you have everything"
and maybe also such:
"Sometimes I go out and hear people talking about unimportant things. Then I know why I leave so rarely."
and finally:
"If you have been cruelly wronged, but still have the courage to be tender to others, then you are a real tough guy with an angel heart."
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